Hiddn Roof Gutter System

ABSTRACT

In its simplest from, the hidden rain gutter of the present invention consists of a trough having a closed cross-sectional contour that is enclosed for the most of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to the drain opening in the roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into the trough. The hidden rain gutter of the present invention is configured with at least one drainage outlet and at least one distal end spaced apart from the drainage outlet. The hidden rain gutter element defines a drainage vector between the distal end and the drainage outlet In one preferred deployment of the hidden rain gutter of the present invention the drainage vector is parallel to the plane of the roof surface layer with the distal end deployed higher on the slope of the roof than the drainage outlet such that rainwater falling into the rain gutter element is directed toward the drainage outlet. In a most preferred deployment, the roofing system includes a roofing underlay deployed on the roof structural frame with the roof surface layer supported above the roofing underlay by battens and counter-battens. The planes of the roofing underlay and the roof surface layer are, therefore, substantially parallel and spaced apart at a distance of approximately 6-12 centimeters therebetween. The hidden rain gutter of the present invention is configured for deployment in that space provided between the roofing underlay and the roof surface layer.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to roof deployed rain gutters and, in particular, it concerns a hidden rain gutter for use with a roof system in which the rain gutter is hidden under the roof's visible surface layer.

Traditionally, rain gutters used for directing rainwater run-off that falls on a roof are mounted adjacent to the lower edge of the roof. These rain gutters have a tendency to collect debris, such as leaves, that have also fallen onto the roof, and thereby become blocked. The blockage may result in spillage of rainwater along the gutter rather than directing the rainwater to the gutter's drain spout. Alternatively, the weight of the collected debris and the rainwater may cause the gutter to become disconnected from its mounting hardware or from the roof itself, thereby causing damage to both the gutter and the roof. This may also happen in colder climates during the winter months due to ice formation and build-up.

Further, the aesthetics of the roofline and the building as a whole may be impaired by the addition of a visible rain gutter.

There is therefore a need for a hidden rain gutter for use with a roof system in which the rain gutter is hidden under the roof's visible surface layer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a hidden rain gutter for use with a roof system in which the rain gutter is hidden under the roof's visible surface layer.

According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided, A roofing system comprising: (a) a roof structural frame; (b) a visible roof surface layer supported above the roof structural frame, the roof surface layer configured with a drain opening spaced apart from a lower edge of the roof surface layer; and (c) at least one trough element deployed in a space provided between the roof structural frame and the roof surface layer such that rainwater passing through the drain opening is directed into the trough element.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the space is created by supporting the roof surface layer on a plurality of roofing battens and counter-battens such that the counter-battens are deployed on roof structural frame, the battens are deployed on the counter-battens and the roof surface layer is deployed on the battens.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, there is also provided a roofing underlay layer deployed so as to be supported by roof structural frame.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the a trough has a cross-sectional contour that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to the drain opening in the roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into the trough.

There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, a hidden rain gutter for use with a roofing system having a drain opening spaced apart from a lower edge of a roof surface layer, the rain gutter comprising a trough element having a cross-sectional contour that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to the drain opening in the roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into the trough element.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the rain gutter is configured with a closed cross-sectional contour that defines a rectangular outline that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, the rectangular outline having an opening in its upper section adjacent to the drain opening.

There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, a method for deploying a rain gutter in conjunction with a roofing system having a roofing underlay deployed on a roof structural frame and a visible roof surface layer supported above the roofing underlay, the roofing system having a slope such that rainwater is directed toward a lower edge of the roofing system, the roofing system also having a drain opening spaced apart from the lower edge, the method comprising: (a) providing a rain gutter element having at least one drainage outlet and at least one distal end spaced apart from the at least one drainage outlet, the rain gutter element defining a drainage vector between the at least one distal end and the at least one drainage outlet; (b) deploying the rain gutter element underneath the drain opening such that rainwater passing through the drain opening falls into the rain gutter element; (c) wherein the drainage vector is parallel to a plane of the roof surface layer and the distal end is deployed higher on the slope of the roofing system than the drainage outlet such that rainwater falling into the rain gutter element is directed toward the drainage outlet.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the rain gutter is implemented with a closed cross-sectional contour that is enclosed for most of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to the drain opening in the roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into the rain gutter.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, there is also provided deploying the at least one trough element in a space between the roofing underlay and the roof surface layer.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, there is also provided deploying at least a portion of the at least one trough element beneath a first course of roofing tiles configured as the roof surface layer.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, there is also provided deploying at least a portion of the at least one trough element beneath a second course of roofing tiles configured as the roof surface layer.

There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, a universal gutter corner for connecting two gutter elements deployed on separate sections of a roof where the separate roof sections have differing direction of slope and/or pitch, the universal gutter corner comprising a unitary corner element having two ends for interconnection with the gutter elements, wherein inscribed on each of the ends are cutting guidelines delineating a variety of roof pitches such that an installer cuts each the ends along a the cutting guideline corresponding to the pitch of the roof on which the gutter elements are deployed.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the unitary corner element is configured so as to be rigid.

According to a further teaching of the present invention, the unitary corner element has a cross-sectional contour that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to a drain opening in a roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into the trough.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a roofing system and rain gutter of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a roofing system with a first preferred embodiment of a hidden rain gutter constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention, shown here deployed beneath the first course of roofing tiles;

FIG. 2A is a detail of the cross-sectional contour of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a roofing system with embodiment of the hidden rain gutter of FIG. 2, shown here deployed beneath the second course of roofing tiles;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a roofing system with a second preferred embodiment of a hidden rain gutter constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a roofing system with a third preferred embodiment of a hidden rain gutter constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the individual elements of the hidden gutter system of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are isometric views of drainpipe configurations constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a photograph showing deployment of the roofing underlay, battens and cross-battens according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a photograph showing deployment of a hidden gutter constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a roof illustrating deployment of a hidden gutter constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a universal corner gutter element constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an isometric side view of the embodiment of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of the individual elements of the hidden gutter system of FIG. 1 1;

FIG. 15 is an isometric front view of the embodiment of FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of a roof illustrating a variant deployment of a hidden gutter constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention, and

FIG. 17 is an exploded isometric view of the hidden gutter system of FIG. 16.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a hidden rain gutter for use with a roof system in which the rain gutter is hidden under the roof's visible surface layer.

The principles and operation of a hidden rain gutter according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.

By way of introduction, the hidden rain gutter of the present invention is designed for use with roofing tiles configured with a drainage opening spaced apart and up-slope from the roof edge as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,062,882 issued on 20 Jun. 2006 to the current inventor, and which is incorporated herein. However, it will be appreciated that the hidden rain gutter of the present invention may be used to benefit with other roofing systems.

The present invention relates to a number of features of the hidden rain gutter disclosed herein, among the features are the cross-sectional contour of the rain gutter elements and the deployment of the rain gutter elements so as to be hidden underneath the surface of the roof and a universal rain gutter corner element that is used to connect two lengths of the hidden rain gutter that are deployed on separate sections of the roof that have counter directions of slope and at various differing pitch as well.

In its simplest form, the hidden rain gutter of the present invention consists of a trough having a closed cross-sectional contour that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to the drain opening in the roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into the trough. Preferably, the trough has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional contour such that at least two of the walls extend the full length of the length and/or height of the rectangle and at least one of the remaining two walls does not extend the full length of its respective length or height of the rectangle. It will be appreciated that, although the drawings herein illustrate various embodiments of the hidden rain gutter of the present invention having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional contour, this is intended to illustrate preferred embodiments, but not to represent a limitation as to the shape of the cross-sectional contour of the trough. Rather, it should be noted that the cross-sectional contour of the trough may be configured as any suitable shape.

Preferably, the hidden rain gutter of the present invention is deployed in association with a roof system that provides a visible roof surface layer having a slope such that rainwater is directed toward a lower edge and at lease one, and preferably a plurality of drain openings spaced apart from the lower edge such that most of the rainwater falling on the roof is directed though the drain openings and into the hidden rain gutter of the present invention which is deployed underneath the drain openings.

The hidden rain gutter of the present invention is configured with at least one drainage outlet and at least one distal end spaced apart from the drainage outlet The hidden rain gutter element defines a drainage vector between the at least one distal end and the at least one drainage outlet. In one preferred deployment of the hidden rain gutter of the present invention the drainage vector is parallel to the plane of the roof surface layer with the distal end deployed higher on the slope of the roof than the drainage outlet such that rainwater falling into the rain gutter element is directed toward the drainage outlet.

In a most preferred deployment, the roofing system includes a roofing underlay deployed on the structural frame of the roof with the roof surface layer supported above the roofing underlay deployed by battens and counter-battens, as will be discussed below in greater detail The planes of the roofing underlay deployed and the roof surface layer are, therefore, substantially parallel and spaced apart at a distance of approximately 6-12 centimeters therebetween. The hidden rain gutter of the present invention is configured for deployment in that space provided between the roofing underlay deployed and the roof surface layer. As used herein, the term “structural frame” refers to any suitable structural frame know in the art such as, but not limited to, beams, rafters, trusses and girders. It will be understood that the structural frame may be constructed from such materials as, by non-limiting example, wood, metal, composite materials, reinforced plastics, or any other suitable material.

It will be appreciated that the roofing underlay may be any known roofing underlay deployed such as, but not limited to, wood sheet decking (such as ply-wood, for example), wooden board decking (such as tongue and groove decking, for example), and roll sheeting (such as polyolefin, pvc, nylon, and any other suitable material) as is illustrated in FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the traditional exposed 2 rain gutter of the prior art that is generally supported by hangers that are attached to edge of the roof system. Rainwater run-off falls from the edge 6 of roof 4 and into the gutter 2. Two problems arise from this configuration. One is that debris, such as leaves, that falls on the roof is washed into the gutter 2 along with the rainwater. The other occurs in the colder climates during the winter months when the water run-off freezes in the gutter. In both cases, the gutters may become blocked and damaged.

FIG. 2 illustrates some of the basic principles of the hidden rain gutter of the present invention As seen here, the gutter element 100 is deployed in the space provided by the roofing system between the roof surface layer 120 and the roofing underlay 122.

The roofing system illustrated here includes a roofing underlay 122 that is deployed directly on the rafter trusses used as the roof structural frame. The roof surface layer, which is illustrated here as roofing tiles, in supported above the roofing underlay 122 by a plurality of counter-battens 124, which extend parallel to the slope of the roof, and battens 126, which extend perpendicular to the slope of the roof The counter-battens do not extend into the area in which the hidden rain gutter element 100 is deployed, thereby providing the open space between the roof surface layer 120 and the roofing underlay 122.

Therefore, rain falling on the surface layer 120 of the roof flows down the slope of the roof until reaching the plurality of drain openings 128 configured in the tiles of the first course 130. The rainwater then falls through the drain openings 128 and into the hidden rain gutter element 100. Once in the hidden rain gutter element 100, the rainwater is directed toward as least one drainage pipes 102.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the hidden rain gutter element 100 is configured with a closed cross-sectional contour that defines a rectangular outline that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, with the rectangular outline having an opening in its upper section adjacent to the drain opening 128 configured in the surface layer 120 of the roof. That is to say, the hidden rain gutter element 100 is configured with four interconnected walls that do not extend around the full periphery of the rectangular contour. The four walls include: a first wall 102, which extends only partially to the height of the rectangular contour; a second wall 104, which extends the full length of the rectangle; a third wall 106, which extend from the end of the second wall 104 to the full height of the rectangle; and a fourth wall 108 that extends from the third wall for a partial length of the rectangle, thereby leaving an opening 110 through which rainwater is introduced into the hidden rain gutter element 100. Both the first wall 102 and the fourth wall 108 are illustrated here as partial walls, this is not intended as a limitation of the configuration of the hidden rain gutter element 100, but rather as an illustration of this first preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted, therefore, that embodiments in which one of either the third or the fourth walls is a full-length wall is within the scope of the present invention, as will be evident with regard to the embodiment of FIG. 5.

FIG. 3 illustrates the deployment of hidden rain gutter element 100 beneath the second course 228 of the roofing tiles that make up the roof surface layer 220 Here too, the counter-battens 224 are deployed directly on the roofing underlay 222. The counter-battens 224 do not extend into the area in which the hidden rain gutter element 100 is deployed.

FIG. 4 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of a hidden rain gutter 205 of the present invention in which the cross-sectional contour is an altered rectangular shape. In this embodiment, the full end wall 204 has a somewhat “S” shape so as to accommodate the top end 206 of the roofing tile 208. This configuration better fills the space provided between the roofing underlay 232 and the roof surface layer 238.

The third preferred embodiment of a hidden rain gutter 300, as illustrated in FIG. 5, is configured for use with a roof system in which the surface layer 302 extends beyond the rafter trusses 310 so as to provide a space adjacent to the end of the rafter trusses 310 and beneath the first course of roofing tiles 304, which are configured with a plurality of drain openings 306 through which the rainwater will fall into the hidden rain gutter 300. To best utilize the space provided by this roofing system, hidden rain gutter 300 is configured with a trapezoidal cross-sectional contour having three full walls 330, 332 and 334. The fourth wall 336 is a partial wall configured in the top so as to provide the opening through which the rainwater enters gutter 300.

FIG. 5 also serves to illustrate another principle of the present invention. That is, the deployment of the drain pipes 320 inside the wall 322 of the building so as to also be hidden from view. It will be appreciated that the feature of the hidden drain pipes may also be applied to the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 4. It will be further appreciated that the combination of the feature of deploying the hidden rain gutter beneath the second course of roofing tiles and deployment of the drain pipes inside the walls of the building provided a rain gutter system in which the problem of freezing and ice build up is less likely to occur than in the traditional exposed rain gutter of the prior art.

FIG. 6 uses the embodiment of FIG. 5 to illustrate the individual elements of the hidden rain gutter of the present invention. The individual elements show here include a roofing tile 400 configured with a drain opening, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,062,882 and a roofing valley element 402 also configured with a drain opening. The hidden rain gutter elements includes: the main gutter element 410; an end cap 412; a connector element 414; outside 416 and inside 418 corner elements; and a drainage outlet element 420. It will be readily appreciated that these individual elements can be configured with any of the cross-sectional contours illustrated herein and any other suitable cross-sectional contour as required for a specific building application. It should be noted that the elements of the hidden rain gutter of the present invention may be configured from any suitable material such as, but not limited to, aluminum, steel, and plastics. It will be under stood that the individual elements of the hidden gutter system may be manufactured using any suitable method, or combination of methods, know in the art such as, but not limited to, extrusion, casting, injection molding, and vacuum forming.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate alternative drainpipe configurations to which the drainage outlet element 420 may be attached Drainpipe 430 provides a siphon and a clean out access, whereas curved drainpipe 432 does not.

The photograph of FIG. 9 illustrates the installation of rolled Polyolefin underlay sheeting 600 as the roofing underlay. The each of the counter-battens 624 are installed directly above a corresponding roof truss and the battens 626 are supported by the counter-battens 624.

Another principle of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 10-15. In some installations of the hidden rain gutter of the present invention, the hidden rain gutter 500 is deployed directly on the roofing underlay of the roofing system. Is such an installation, the hidden rain gutter 500, which has at least one drainage outlet 502 and at least one distal end 504 spaced apart from the drainage outlet 502, defines a drainage vector 506 between the distal end 504 and the drainage outlet 502. Therefore, the hidden rain gutter 500 is deployed such that the drainage vector 506 is parallel to a plane of the roofing underlay 522, and consequently the plane of the roof surface layer that will be installed above it, with the distal end 504 being deployed higher on the slope of the roofing system than the drainage outlet 502 such that rainwater falling into the hidden rain gutter 500 is directed toward the drainage outlet 502.

FIG. 10 also provides a view of the arrangement of the counter-battens 524, which extend parallel to the slope of the roof, and the battens 526, which extend perpendicular to the slope of the roof, deployed on the roofing underlay.

FIGS. 11-13 provide different views of the same area of a roof 702 and therefore are numbered alike As illustrated here, roof sections 702 a and 702 b have directions of slope that are perpendicular to each other. The angle of intersection of the planes of the two roof sections, 702 a and 702 b is different for each roof pitch slope. Therefore hidden rain gutter sections 700 a and 700 b are connected by a universal gutter corner element 710 illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15. As discussed above, in some applications, the hidden rain gutter elements are installed in the space created by the battens 726 and the counter-battens 724 of the roofing system.

The hidden rain gutter elements illustrated in FIG. 14 are similar to those illustrated in FIG. 6 and include: the main gutter element 700; an end cap 732; a connector element 714; a universal corner element 710; a drainage outlet element 720; and a valley flashing element.

As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the universal gutter corner element 710 is inscribed with cutting guidelines 712 that are used by the installer to cut the ends of the universal gutter corner element 710. Preferably, the cutting guidelines 712 encircle the outer surface of gutter corner element 710. A plurality of such cutting guidelines, each corresponding to a different angle of roof pitch such that the installer merely cuts each of the ends the universal gutter corner element 710 along the cutting guidelines that correspond to the pitch of the roof sections on which rain gutter sections 700 a and 700 b are deployed The gutter corner element 710 is then attached to adjacent ends of rain gutter sections 700 a and 700 b by connector elements 714. It will be appreciated that the cutting guidelines include a full range of common roof pitches such that the installer may easily find the cutting guidelines corresponding to the pitch of the roof on which the hidden gutter is being installed and cut the gutter corner element 710 accordingly. It should be noted that the gutter corner element 710 may be used to interconnect gutter sections that are deployed on roof sections having different degrees of pitch. Preferably, the gutter corner element 710 is configured as a rigid unitary corner element made of molder polymer such as, but not limited to, pvc. It will be further appreciated that the gutter corner element 710 may be also used to benefit with non-hidden rain gutter systems as well.

FIG. 16 illustrates a variant installation of the hidden rain gutter of the present invention This installation scheme is well suited for very large roof spans that require double rows of the hidden rain gutter to drain the full amount of running rainwater. Here, hidden rain gutter sections 800 a and 800 b are installed so as to be covered by both the first and second course of roofing tiles when the roof tiles are installed later. The two gutter sections 800 a and 800 b are installed parallel to each other and both drain into a draining system such as, but not limited to, the exemplary semi-hidden draining system illustrated in FIG. 17. As illustrated here, gutter section 800 a is connected to the branch drainpipe 810 by connection pipe 804. Gutter section 800 b is connected to the branch drainpipe 812 by connection pipe 806. The branch drainpipes 810 and 812 in turn empty into the main vertical drainpipe 814. It will be appreciated that the above descriptions are intended only to serve as examples and that many other embodiments are possible within the spirit and the scope of the present invention. 

1. A roofing system comprising: (a) a roof structural frame; (b) a visible roof surface layer supported above said roof structural frame, said roof surface layer configured with a drain opening spaced apart from a lower edge of said roof surface layer; and (c) at least one trough element deployed in a space provided between said roof structural frame and the roof surface layer such that rainwater passing through said drain opening is directed into said trough element.
 2. The roofing system of claim 1, wherein said space is created by supporting the roof surface layer on a plurality of roofing battens and counter-battens such that said counter-battens are deployed on roof structural frame, said battens are deployed on said counter-battens and said roof surface layer is deployed on said battens.
 3. The roofing system of claim 1, further including a roofing underlay layer deployed so as to be supported by roof structural frame.
 4. The roofing system of claim 1, wherein said a trough has a cross-sectional contour that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to said drain opening in said roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into the trough.
 5. A hidden rain gutter for use with a roofing system having a drain opening spaced apart from a lower edge of a roof surface layer, the rain gutter comprising a trough element having a cross-sectional contour that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to said drain opening in said roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into said trough element.
 6. The hidden rain gutter of claim 5, wherein said rain gutter is configured with a closed cross-sectional contour that defines a rectangular outline that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, said rectangular outline having an opening in its upper section adjacent to said drain opening.
 7. A method for deploying a rain gutter in conjunction with a roofing system having a roofing underlay deployed on a roof structural frame and a visible roof surface layer supported above the roofing underlay, the roofing system having a slope such that rainwater is directed toward a lower edge of the roofing system, the roofing system also having a drain opening spaced apart from the lower edge, the method comprising: (a) providing a rain gutter element having at least one drainage outlet and at least one distal end spaced apart from said at least one drainage outlet, said rain gutter element defining a drainage vector between said at least one distal end and said at least one drainage outlet; (b) deploying said rain gutter element underneath the drain opening such that rainwater passing through the drain opening falls into said rain gutter element; wherein said drainage vector is parallel to a plane of the roof surface layer and said distal end is deployed higher on the slope of the roofing system than said drainage outlet such that rainwater falling into said rain gutter element is directed toward said drainage outlet.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said rain gutter is implemented with a closed cross-sectional contour that is enclosed for most of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to the drain opening in the roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into said rain gutter.
 9. The method of claim 7, further including deploying said at least one trough element in a space between the roofing underlay and the roof surface layer.
 10. The method of claim 7, further including deploying at least a portion of said at least one trough element beneath a first course of roofing tiles configured as the roof surface layer.
 11. The method of claim 7, further including deploying at least a portion of said at least one trough element beneath a second course of roofing tiles configured as the roof surface layer.
 12. A universal gutter corner for connecting two gutter elements deployed on separate sections of a roof where the separate roof sections have differing direction of slope and/or pitch, the universal gutter corner comprising a unitary corner element having two ends for interconnection with the gutter elements, wherein inscribed on each of said ends are cutting guidelines delineating a variety of roof pitches such that an installer cuts each said ends along a said cutting guideline corresponding to the pitch of the roof on which the gutter elements are deployed.
 13. The universal gutter corner of claim 12, wherein said unitary corner element is configured so as to be rigid.
 14. The universal gutter corner of claim 12, wherein said unitary corner element has a cross-sectional contour that is enclosed by a continuous wall on at least portions of four sides of its periphery, having an opening in its upper section adjacent to a drain opening in a roof surface layer through which rainwater is introduced into the trough. 